Kettering hospital's first Covid-19 death for 19 days follows health chiefs' concern over rise in cases

Kettering hospital's first Covid-19 death for 19 days follows health chiefs' concern over rise in cases Covid-19 has claimed its first victim in 19 days at Kettering General Hospital.

This latest death — the 218th at KGH during the pandemic — occurred on Thursday but was only revealed in today's NHS bulletin. Northamptonshire Telegraph

See also:

• Northampton residents told to 'limit contact' after coronavirus spike BBC Northampton
• NHS reports seven coronavirus deaths in the Anglia region over the weekend ITV News
• Health chiefs report "great response" to walk-in Covid-19 testers in Northampton town centre Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Three more Covid-19 victims die on same day health chiefs sound alarm over rise in cases Northampton Chronicle and Echo
• Northampton could be in different position to rest of England by next week, warns council leader Northampton Chronicle and Echo

Long-serving Irchester NHS worker Ceri-Anne to brave the shave for KGH to mark retirement

Long-serving Irchester NHS worker Ceri-Anne to brave the shave for KGH to mark retirement A long-serving NHS worker will brave the shave on her retirement to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and Kettering General Hospital's new cancer resource centre. Northamptonshire Telegraph

New Obesity Strategy unveiled as country urged to lose weight to beat coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect the NHS

New Obesity Strategy unveiled as country urged to lose weight to beat coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect the NHS A raft of measures have been revealed as part of the government’s new obesity strategy to get the nation fit and healthy, protect themselves against COVID-19 and protect the NHS.

Obesity is one of the biggest health crises the country faces. Almost two-thirds (63%) of adults in England are overweight or living with obesity – and 1 in 3 children leave primary school overweight or obese, with obesity-related illnesses costing the NHS £6 billion a year. Department of Health and Social Care

See also:

• Fast online access to world leading NHS weight loss advice NHS England
• Excess weight can increase risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19 Public Health England
• Guidance: Excess weight and COVID-19: insights from new evidence Public Health England 

Childcare costs for doctors to be covered in drive to boost GP numbers

Childcare costs for doctors to be covered in drive to boost GP numbers The NHS has launched a new scheme to encourage hundreds more doctors to return to general practice by offering help towards the costs of caring for children or family members. NHS England

Coronavirus: UK brings back 14-day quarantine for Spain

Coronavirus: UK brings back 14-day quarantine for Spain Travellers returning to the UK from Spain after midnight will have to quarantine for 14 days, the government has said. 

The decision came following a spike in coronavirus cases in Spain, with more than 900 new cases of the virus reported on Friday.

Spanish officials have also warned a second wave could be imminent as major cities have seen cases surge. BBC News

See also:

• Coronavirus: Spain says outbreaks under control after UK orders quarantine BBC News
• Coronavirus: How bad will winter really be? BBC News
• Coronavirus doctor's diary: Will vaccine sceptics make trials a headache? BBC News
• Coronavirus England: Average daily cases rising for a WEEK The Daily Mail
• Coronavirus England: People in poor areas twice as likely to die
• Face masks can boost hand washing because they increase perception of risk The Daily Telegraph
• Risk, uncertainty and fear of failure: Why scientists aren't celebrating a coronavirus vaccine yet The Daily Telegraph
• Lack of testing and PPE among key England Covid-19 mistakes, MPs told The Guardian
• Boris Johnson calls anti-vaxxers 'nuts' as he pushes winter flu jabs – video The Guardian
• Only 19 bereaved families approved for NHS staff coronavirus compensation scheme The Guardian
• UK could impose more 'handbrake restrictions' on arrivals beyond Spain The Guardian
• Coronavirus: Hospital patients and staff set to receive rapid one-hour Covid-19 tests in plans to restart NHS The Independent
• Jeremy Hunt: NHS staff should be given weekly coronavirus tests from September iNews

NHS maternity safety to come under investigation after scandals involving mother and baby deaths

NHS maternity safety to come under investigation after scandals involving mother and baby deaths The safety of maternity services in the NHS are to be investigated by MPs after a string of scandals, highlighted by The Independent, involving the deaths of mothers and babies. 

The Health and Social Care Select Committee, chaired by former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, has announced it will hold an inquiry into why maternity incidents keep re-occurring and what needs to be done to improve safety. The Independent

See also:

• Ex-chief of scandal-hit hospital now works for group advising NHS on patient safety The Independent
• Maternity safety across NHS to be investigated as ongoing crisis in Shropshire adds to string of care scandals ITV News

Concern for England's mental health patients discharged at start of lockdown

Concern for England's mental health patients discharged at start of lockdown Nearly 2,500 additional patients were discharged from mental health units across England at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown, prompting concern that vulnerable people were released into the community before they were ready.

Official data analysed by the charity Mind showed 11,829 patients were discharged from mental health units in March 2020, a sharp rise from 9,836 last year and up by 2,441 from the February before lockdown started. The Guardian

Over-40s in UK to pay more tax under plans to fix social care crisis

Over-40s in UK to pay more tax under plans to fix social care crisis Exclusive: Matt Hancock is advocate of plan to raise tax to cover cost of care in later life

Everyone over 40 would start contributing towards the cost of care in later life under radical plans being studied by ministers to finally end the crisis in social care, the Guardian can reveal.